


Lose the Battle, Win the War

by doylesmom



Series: Gift Fics [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gender Neutral Byleth, Gift Fic, I only learned about Claudbert today and I would already die for this ship, M/M, birthday fic, happt birthday Nyx!, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21564181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doylesmom/pseuds/doylesmom
Summary: Hubert loses. Hubert doesn’t like to lose. Claude doesn’t help.
Relationships: Claude von Riegan/Hubert von Vestra
Series: Gift Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1554103
Comments: 10
Kudos: 89





	Lose the Battle, Win the War

**Author's Note:**

> I’m officially a sucker for this ship. Thank you to the people in the 3H tarot project for introducing me to it! And happy (belated) birthday Nyx!!

Hubert gritted his teeth together as another one of his knights was struck down, another innocent casualty to the game they played. He would mourn later. There was no time in the moment to think of each capture and death, not when he faced the greatest opponent of his life. Turning his attention back to the battle, he sniped a bishop, vicious satisfaction filling his veins as he saw Claude’s eye twitch, the usually perfect man obviously ruffled. Too soon, though, that self-satisfied smirk made its way back onto Claude’s face, his green eyes gleaming like gems as his mind whirred, rearranging his strategy, re-planning his attack. He was the greatest strategist that Hubert had ever faced, and that look made his pulse thrum electrically through his veins, already preparing to counter whatever move Claude made next. His eyes darted across to another nearby knight, and Hubert quickly called and repositioned the knight, only for the sound of laughter to freeze his blood.

“You are too hasty, friend,” Claude called. Hubert bristled at the term, turning to snipe back at him, only to see what Claude had done.

It was a trap.

The path to his queen had cleared.

Hubert could only watch in horror as the king captured his queen.

“No!” He yelled, his heart storming wildly in his chest, the vicious beat drowning out the surprised looks from everyone else in the room.

“Sorry Hubie,” Ferdinand said, looking up from the board, “But that’s checkmate.”

Claude leaned back in his chair, smirking at Hubert in a way that made his blood boil. Few people managed to get under his skin as well as the former captain of the Leicester High School chess club. In high school, both the Faerghus Academy and Leicester High had rivaled his own Adrestria Montessori, but Hubert now found himself in college, and had team mates from all three schools, both on the competitive team and in the club.

And he had just lost the match for captainship. To Claude von Riegan, the most insufferable asshole he knew.

“Oof, that’s rough,” Byleth, the former student-teacher-turned-GA said from behind their desk, not looking up from their fishing magazine.

“Hey man, good game. Too bad about the losing thing though,” Claude teased, sitting forward in his chair to lean his head on his folded hands. Hubert felt something in him snap.

“Don’t patronize me,” he snarled, standing up to lean over the table and pointing his finger in Claude’s face.

“Oh, Hubie,” Claude sing-songed, leaning up to get in his face. His face stretched into an irritatingly easily smile. “I could, but really, this is way more fun.”

“Shut your mouth before I make you.” Hubert threatened, ignoring Ferdinand’s attempts to diffuse the situation. Byleth still hadn’t looked up from their magazine, idly flipping a page.

“Oh?” Claude tilted his head, “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

Hubert saw red, and pushed himself forward, slamming his mouth into Claude’s. It was rough and angry, all hard edges and domination. Claude didn’t hesitate, pushing back against Hubert, nibbling and teasing along the seams between his lips. Hubert bit Claude’s lower lip hard, heat flushing his face a gauche shade of red as the action made Claude whimper. Claude’s hands came up off of the desk to wind into Hubert’s hair, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened.

“Can you please stop doing that every time you two fight?” Ferdinand sighed as they broke apart from air.

“I mean, we could, but we won’t.” Claude said, pressing another kiss, much sweeter this time, to his boyfriend’s lips.

“I don’t get your relationship.” Ferdinand sighed, taking a seat as the two packed up their bags to leave. Claude shrugged and Hubert just shook his head. Sure, their relationship was odd and unusual to others, but it made sense to them, which was all that really mattered as far as Hubert was concerned. Claude linked their fingers together as they walked out of the room, lifting it to kiss Hubert’s knuckles as they left the room.

“Wait, what just happened?” Byleth asked, finally looking up from their magazine. Ferdinand sighed.

“Oh, you know. The usual.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/tzubakis/)


End file.
